How To Spot Hypomania in Yourself? Signs?

[ILADVOCATE]

I know its easy to tell someone they are hypomanic. But what about yourself? And that full blow mania is frightening. But hypomania can seem like "fun" but it quickly spirals into full blown mania. We've all experienced it. Including myself. And aren't always self aware. But how can we stop it before it gets worse?
For myself signs of hypomania (remember its complex because I have schizoaffective)
include:
contacting people I hardly know, feelings that "I love everyone" (elation), hypersexuality, overspending, feelings of paranoia (people who are annoying become "threatening"), doing passive aggressive or hostile pranks (in the past), self medicating with natural remedies (in the past), drinking large amounts of caffeinated beverages (in the past), overstating my important/thinking I could "change the world", unable to concentrate on tasks but becoming obssessed with something unimportant.
Right now I am to the point where I can spot this and catch it before it gets worse. Can you? What happens with you?
Can you stop it? And could you learn?

[Katz1914]

My Daughter is also Bi-Polar, but in denial, and she triggers my episodes. When she is manic, She is very verbally abusive to me.

[Bubulous]

I was only on Depakote for a short while so I cannot tell you much about it but I would suggest starting a new thread on the forum so that you can get more responses.  Just title it with your main question and go from there.  Also you can search Medhelp in the mean time for Depakote and you will find some information that way.  Good luck with your inquiry.

[voxpop]

I have seen a pdoc for 14 years.  She went through a terrible divorce, lost custody of her children, etc., and since then I have felt she is not focused on my treatment. I am compassionate and understand this but can't pay $275 for 45 minutes of mumbling and guessing, with different meds suggested each time and different explanations of what's going on or might be going on.  I took my partner in to my last session and asked the pdoc to tell him "If D___ asked you, what would you tell him was my diagnosis?"  Pdoc responded "atypical BP" and wants me to take Depakote.  She took me off Lamictal because she felt it was implicated in my developing small fiber peripheral neuropathy.  The problem is, I've completely lost trust in this medical professional.  I am seeking a second opinion, which I should have done months ago.  In the meantime, at Pdoc's suggestion, I am taking SAM-e, which I believe has triggered hypomania, which for me manifests itself in constant irritability.  I have to monitor my behavior and my tone of voice constantly because I feel like flying off the handle at everyone.  Admittedly, I drink too much caffeine, but the irritability really kicked in when I stopped drinking 3 years ago.  In any case, I would be interested in hearing people's experience with Depakote - I'm afraid of it, especially the weight gain, but am utterly tired of this constant irritability.  Thanks for any responses.

[hberk97]

Hey everyone. I'm not officially diagnosed w BP but I'm beginning to suspect that I have it because it runs in the family and most of the symptoms ring true for me. I think recently I've been hypomanic: I can't sleep, I'm very jittery, can't sit still, increased sex drive, and also very talkative and hyper. Could this be hypomania? I'd say I'm 2 days - 1 week in. Thanks!

[LiaL0831]

Hello.  I used to have a diagnoses of bipolar many years ago.  Now I have a diagnoses of schizoaffective, bipolar, which has many similar symptoms.
I used to get that crawling sensation in my legs and even in my body and especially my hips.  That is from the antipsychotic medication we take.  That crawling sensation is called:  "akithesia", and it is pure hell for those who have it.  Talk to your pdoc about it.  Maybe he or she can do a med adjustment or something with you.  Maybe this will help.
Do you get the symptom of irritability that takes the form of being real verbally abusive to your loved ones?  I was either manic or hypomanic for 10 years and I was very verbally, emotionally abusive to my girlfriend and I lashed out and got angry at strangers if they crossed me in the slightest way.  And I was extremely argumentative.  I took every opportunity to argue about everything.  Are you this way when you are manic, or hypomanic?  To this day, I don't know if I was manic or hypomanic.  I had nurses coming to my home all of those years and I would ask them if I was manic or hypomanic and they would always either stare at me or deny it.  So, I don't know if they were telling me the truth or not.  I presently think I was something.  Just what, I don't know.

[psyvamp71]

I experience low energy levels with my hypomania--- but I also have Fibromyalgia, so low energy levels and pain on a daily basis are normal, if I should use that word, for me. I do get to feeling restless, sleepless, questioning my meds, asking myself "could this be a hypomanic stage?' as well as feeling irritable and anxious.My mind races and will not shut down. I'm on edge with the obsessions, I wanna do things feel compelled to do them-- like clean, create, etc. but decide I don't have the energy nor the real patience it takes to set down and do these things- so I blow them off. I'm starting, just starting to see some of my symptoms prior to and at the beginning of hypomania-- but as for what triggers them-- I have no idea. Could be anything. Struggling tho, trying to keep my eyes open and journal what i can, when my brain will let me.